Cushioning means for vehicles



Jan. 3, 1928.

J. A. STEVENS CUSHIONING MEANS FOR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 5. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 m m Q` m. Y

Jan. 3, 1928. v n 1,655,204

J. A. STEVENS cUsHIoNING MEANS Fon VEHICLES Filed oct. 5. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 MMM, y away?.

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Feten-ted dan. 3, i923.

unirse stares e ATENT OFFICE.

H19' A. STEVENS, OF LOE/'ELL MASSACHUSETTS, ASSLGNOR TG STEVENS PRODUCTSCOMAN'Y, OF LOW/VEEL, MASSACHSETTS, C@lil-"5:36rl-.TOhT OFMASSACHUSETTS.

CUSHIONING MEANS FOR VEHICLES.

Ap-piicaaon sied ommel- 5, 1925. serial No, 60,373.

This invention relates to a shock absorber adapted to be used inconjunction with and supplemental to the usual springs of a vehiclehaving compensator' or equalizing means ter distributing the sheclreceived by one port-ion ci the vehicle over the entire vehicle as aunit.

' lVhile shock absorlJ rs located at the front and rear ot vehicleseffectively serve to soften and neutralize the thrust treni a shock sothat no sudden or sharp blow is transmitted to the occupants ot thevehicle, the responsiveness ot the shoclr absorbers at each end ispronounced that the action necessary to overcome the thrust ot' theshoclr induces a and falling movement at each end oi the vehicleperiodic with the shocks received so that it frequently happens that theends et the vehicle do not move in unison and the occupants experiencean undulating or lopinc' movement which while not sharp or sudden isnevertheless annoying and disagreeable.

l Objects of this invention are to overcome the above mentioned detectsby providing a shock absorber' with compensator or equalizer meanswhereby the thrust received from a` shoclr sustained at one end or anyport-ion of the vehicle is correspondingly transmitted to the other endand other portions thereoi' so thatrthe vehicle will rise and :tall as aunit with all portions constantly maintained in the same approximateplane; to provide a vehicle with shock absorbers ot the pneumatic typelocated adjacent each wheel whereby the increased tluid pressure in oneet said shock absorber elements at one corner olf the vehicle due to thethrust or". a shock is transmitted to the other ot said shock absorberelements at other corners ot' the vehicle so thatl said thrust isreceived with the same torce at each corner thereof: and to provide avehicle with a plurality ot shock absorbing elements at each end thereofhaving equalizer or compensating means tor evenly distributing thethrust from a shock at one portion oit the car to opposed portions ornthe car without in any way intertering with the ability of said shockabsorbing` elements to soften and neutralize shocks:

.ln order thatI the above? enumerated objects may be accomplished thevehicle is provided with shoclr absorbing elements prelierably ot thepneumatic type adjacent each wheel of the car. Each shock absorbingelement comprises a body portion having aA cylinder which receives apneumatic bag inlated to the desired pressure depending on the weight ofthe car and a plunger working independently ot or in parallel withhelical springs movable within said cylinder and adapted to compress theinflated bag on its upward movement. The body oil the shock absorbercarrying the cylinder is attached direct-ly to the chassis ot thevehicle while the plunger or dish working on the inflated bag throughits piston rod is attached to the spring et the vehicle so that theusual connection between the spring and frame or chassis of the vehicleis eliminated and the shock absorbing` element mounted directlytherebetween. When the vehicle sustains a shoclr the plunger or diskmoves upwardly in the pneumatic cylinder and thus serves to counteract,neutralize and. equalize the the shoclr so that it is transmitted to thevehicle or occupants thereof with little or no torce. In order totransmit the torce of a shock received by one end or portion of the carto the other end or portions thereof so that all parts ot the carsimilarly react to a shock received by any other part-'of the car withinthe same shock period each shock absorber in 'he iront is connected by apipe or flexible tubing to the corresponding rear shock absorber withconnections between the front shock absorbing elements and also betweenthe rear shock absorbing elements so that the increased pressure in onepneumatic or fluid cylinder is directly transmitted to the corresponding pneumatic or iiuid cylinder in the rear and all other cylinders withthe result that the shock is equally distributed throughout the variousparts oi the car and all. parts similarly react to the shock atsubstantially the same time. Inasinuch as the pressure in the frontshock absorbing elements may be dillierent from the desired pressure inthe rear elements, suitable control valv are provided in the pipe linesto maintain the normal pressures under normal load constant.

For purposes ot illustration the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of the specification, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view ot front `washer 12.

and rear shock absorbing elements showing the connections therebetweenwith certain parts ot the shock absorbers in section;

Fig. Q is a diagramnnitic plan view ot' the absorbers and connectionstherebetween;

Fig. I3 is an enlarged section ot' the connection means between thetubing and coinpression chamber; and Fig. d is a plan view of thelocking washer shown in Fig. 8. Y y

is illustrated in Fig. 1 ot the drawing the numerals 1 and 2 designatethe usual front and rear semi-elliptic springs mounted on the trent andrear axles, respectively of a vehicle and adapted to support the usualchassis or 'trame 3. In this invention shock. zbsorbing elementsdesignated as a whole by the numeral 4; are

vinserted between one end ot each leaf spring and the chassis so thatordinarily two front and two rear shoclt absorbing elements are providedon each vehicle. Hoiiiever, as

many shock absorbing elements as the Vexi-V gencies ol use demand may beprovided. Rach shock absorberconiprises a body portion 5 adapted toenclose a plunger i'od 6 which is attached to a sleeve 7 at its lowerend. lThe sleeve 7 has on its exterior surl'ace spaced shoulders 8 and 9'forming seats tor the coiled springs 10 and 11 respectively. A washer19. which is rigidly attached tothe upper end ot the body portions 5through the medium ot screws or other suitable attaching means receivesand centers the plunger rod 6 relatively to the spherical easing orcylinder 13 whiclitorms a compressionA chamber Ll surrounding the upperend olf the body portion 5` and enclosing said rihe lower end of thecasing 13 rigidly attached tothe upper peripheral end et the bodyportion 5 through a series ot screws 15. Enclosed within the easing 13is an inner casing 16 ot rubber or suitable inaterial adapted to beinflated through the valve 17. Thevalve 1.7 is adapted to be mounted ina Y branch 1S which terms a connection l'or one end ot the tubing 1t)and the stein :2O extending through the casings and 1G into thecompression chamber 1l. Thestem i() as best illustrated in Fig. l hasan, annular flange Q1 on its lower end which seats against the innersurface of the casing 16 adjacent the opening receiving said stein.l Awasher surrounds the stem 20 and seats on the outer sur'l'ace ot casing16 adjacent the opening receiving said stein. A loch washer havingiiiistanding lugs 23 and van opening having tlat sides corresponding inshape to the outer surface et' the stein 2O :so that relative movementbetween said stein and washer is prevented rests on a washer S24preferably of rubber and the washer 22, said washer Q- being insurrounding relation to and torii'iing extensionot' iif'asher 22,

accordance with A loch nut 25 is in threaded relation with the externalthreads on the stem 20 and serves to hold said stem and washer ineinbers23 and 9A in yengagement with the inner casing 16 whereby an airtightjoint with said casing is maintained. A nut 26 surrounding and enclosingnut Q5 is also in threaded engagement with the stein 2O the inner wallof said nut being adapted to engage with the lugs 23 of washer 23whereby said washer and stein 2() are locked against rotative movementand the stein and washer elements carried thereby held rigid withrespect to the easing 13. t Y

The lugs Q3 ot the washer are Aadapted to tit in recesses Q5 within thecasing 13 so that the nut Q6 forces the lugs Q3 into engageinent withsaid recesses whereby said washer Q3 and stem 2O are locked againstmovement relatively tothe casings 13 and ttl and the applicationot theunion ineinber or the exertion ot any force or strain on said stein 20will in no way tend to disrupt the air tight connection between'the stemQt) and the'casing 16. The lugs 23( further serve to irictioi'iallyengage the lower annular wall oi' the nut 26 whereby said. nut lockedagainst displacement.

The upper end of the plunger rod 6 es:` tends through an opening in thewasher` 12 into the cylinder 13 and carries an adjustable piston head 2Thaving a locking nut 28 adapted to lock said piston head in adjustedposition on said rod. VThe head 27 which may be in the torinot a plungeror disk bea-rs against the lower side of the easing 1U and furthercompresses the airin Ithe conipression chamber 1st on its upwardmovement. is Vshown in Fig. 1 the 'front end oi the chassis is pivotallyconnected to the body 5 ot theV shock `absorber through van eye member29 attached to the arm SO', asuitvable brace rod 31 being providedgtohold said shock absorber rigid with respect: to said chassis while' therear shoot absorber has an` integral projecting arin 31 bolted orotherwise attached to the rear portion ot the chassis. An arm S 'ispivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the lower end ol' the sleeveT. One end ot' the arm 32 is pivoted to the body portion as shownvat theright. iii Fig. 1 while the other endV o'l said arm is attached to theend ot' the spring 4l in the caseV ot the tront shockabsorbingelelnient, a link SS-l'ieing provided between said ai'n'i andspring- 1 in the case of the rear shock absorbing clement. r

As diag aminatically illustrated in Fig. 2 the tubing 19 which may be offlexible material it desired connectsthe Y branch inembers 18 of trentand rear shock absorbing elements together so that .the pressure withsin the compression'chamber ot'either of the shoel absorbing; elenjientsmay be transn'utted to the other said shocl absorbing Cil bij

elements. Transverse tubing or piping 19 is provided to connect thelongitudinal tubing 19 adjacent the front and rear shock absorbingelements, suitable control valves 35. 36, 3T, and 38 are provided Withinthe tubine 19 and 19 so that diliercnt predetern'iined normal pressuresmay be maintained in each of the shock absorbing elements. Furthermorethe valves 3%, 35, 36, 37, 38 ar-e manually operable so that any one otthe shock absorbing elements may be rendered inoperative Withouta'lecting the pressure in any oit the other ot said shock absorbingelements. 'lhe numeral 39 designates unions for connecting the portionsot the tubing or piping While the numeral 40 designates T members forconnecting the tubing 19 and 19, a plugged 'i' Zl1 being provided fortesting and iilling purposes. A fluid reservoir 42 may be convenientlylocated Within the tubing 19 and 19 with suitable control valvestherefor if desired. t will be understood that the compression chambers14 are adapted to contain gas such as air, tetrachloride, carbona,ether, hydro gen, helium, ammonia, or liquids such as Water, alcohol,oil, etc. and that the normal pressures in the t'ront and rear shockabsorbing elements may vary in accordance With the iveight of thevehicle from substantially equal pressures to Widely diverging pressureswhich would be controlled by use of valves or different sized helicalspings'so that if for instance the normal pressure in the front shockabsorbing elements is 50 lbs. and in the rear 32 lbs. said pressuresvvill be maintained constant when the chassis and springs are normallyseparated under ordinary load.

rlhe operation et the device is as follows:

lli-Then the vehicle on which the device is mounted sustains a shock itis transmitted to the leaf springs 1 and 2 and the plunger rod 6attached thereto through the arm 32 so that said rod will move upwardlyWithin (ho compr on chamber 13 with the result that the chassis 3 ismoved upwardly. Any movement. ot the leaf spring 1 will neccssarilyimpart a movement to the plunger red 6 and the arm 32 Which is mountedon both the leaf spring and plunger rod. lVhile the action abovedescribed serves to effectively counteract and neutralize the shocksreceived by'a vehicle so that shocks are very lightly transmitted to theoccupants thereof the aforesaid parts alone do not overcome the tendencyof the front and rear parts ot the vehicle to separately react toindividual shocks and assume an undulating or loping movement. Whenhowever a shock is sustained by the front end or corner ot the vehiclethe upward movement ot the piston causes the pressure Within thecompression chamber 14 to rise and the front end of the chassis to moveupwardly so that this increased pressure is transmitted to the rearcompression chainber 14 and other compression chambers causing the rearend and other portions ot the chassis 2 to correspondingly rise inaccoi-dance with the rise ot the trent end of the chassis. The abovedescribed action is the same Whether the original shock is sustained bythe trent or rear end of the vehicle.

It will be understood that the structure above described merelyillustrates one practical embodiment ot the invention vfhereby theshocks sustained by a vehicle are effecltively absorbed and theinululating` or loping movement ot' said vehicle overcome. It is notintended to be limited to the structural details shown and described butsaid structure may be altered to embrace any inechanical arrangementconstituting an equivalent structure to that above described.

l claim:

1. A chamber adapted to contain compressed air comprising an outercasing, an inner casing ot resilient material, a valve for intlatingsaid casing, and means forming an air tight connection between saidvalve and casing comprising` a stem having a flange bearing against theinterior surface of the casing, a Washer bearing against the exteriorsurface or" the casing, and lock Washer having upstanding lugs engaginga nut on said stem.

2. A chamber adapted to contain corapressed air comprising an outercasing.A an inner casing of resilient material, a valve for inflatingsaid casing, a stem connected to said valve having a flange bearingagainst the interior surface of said inner casing, a Washer bearingagainst the exterior surface ot the inner casing and a lock Washerhaving upstanding lugs engaging recesses within said outer casingwhereby tight connectien is termed bet-uf'een said valve and ca.'- ingsand relative movement between said stein and casing is prevented,

3. In shock absorbing system for vehicles, a plurality of individualshock absorbing elements interposed between the trame and axles thereof,each element comprising a collapsible chamber containing a compressiblefluid, a coil spring normally under compression acting in tandem Witheach collapsible chamber, a plunger adapted to be moved by a relativemovement of the trame and axles to collapse the chamber and compress theluid therein, and means connecting the chambers of the various absorbersto distribute to the various absorbers the pressure change caused by ashock initially unequally sustained by the different parts of thevehicle.

Signed by me at Lowell. lilassachusetts, this twenty-eighth day ofSeptember. 19:25.

JOHN A. STEVENS.

